In the 81 years since Bay of Plenty Cricket played their first representative match in 1932, the Bay of Plenty representatives have previously played in 21 Hawke Cup Direct Challenges.

The Hawke Cup, which is the symbol of Minor Association cricket superiority in New Zealand, was presented by Lord Hawke in 1910 and is amongst the oldest cricket trophies still contested in the country.

This weekend, Bay of Plenty will challenge current Hawke Cup holders Hamilton, in the Bays 22nd Hawke Cup Direct Challenge.

Bay of Plenty made an inauspicious entrance into representative cricket when they played South Auckland in a Hawke Cup Direct Challenge in their first representative outing in 1932. South Auckland batted first and posted 333 all out.

In reply, the Bay side learnt about the realities of top level cricket, mustering just 59 in their first innings and a slightly more respectable 171 in their second turn at bat.

Bay batsman EG Sutherland become the first Bay player to post a half century when he top scored with 62 runs.

In the 21 Hawke Cup Direct Challenges the Bay teams have participated in, there have been some outstanding individual resulted posted.

The first Bay of Plenty century was recorded by New Zealand representative Andy Roberts, when he blasted 117 against Hawkes Bay when the Bay won the minor association trophy for the first time in 1986.

Other Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup centuries came from the bats of Derek Beard and Grant McKenzie, along with the Bay of Plenty's highest ever score of 181 smashed by Simon Winter in a title defence against Central Otago.

The first six wicket bag came in the Bay's third ever Direct Challenge when they played Manawatu in 1940 in Palmerston North.

Whakatane all-rounder Leicester Spring returned 6/48, in a game where the Bay suffered a heavy loss. Leicester played his last game for Bay of Plenty against the visiting Fijian cricket side in 1948, at nearly forty years of age.

Derek Beard, David White and Bob Cunis later joined Leicester Spring as the only other Bay bowlers to take six wickets in an innings.

Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Direct Challenges (1932 – 2010)

Played - 21

Won - 6

Lost - 17

BOPCA HAWKE CUP HONORS BOARD

Centuries

181 SL Winter v Central Otago 1997

135 DA Beard v Hawkes Bay 1987

117 ADG Roberts v Hawkes Bay 1986

115 GW McKenzie v Manawatu 1994

Six Wicket Bags

6/48 DA Beard v Auckland/Manukau 1997

6/55 LR Spring v Manawatu 1940

6/55 DJ White v Hawkes Bay 1987

6/92 RS Cunis v Southland 1976

Most Runs

542 DA Beard HS 135

407 MJE Wright HS 87

378 ADG Roberts HS 117

Most Wickets

21 DA Beard BB 6/48

17 J Derrick BB (4/87 & 4/60 v Hawkes Bay Feb 1987)

12 BL Cairns BB 4/33